UFC and ninjitsu

[SageGhost83]

Most of the Buj guys that I know just simply aren't interested in MMA. They are too focused on their own training. I personally don't think that it is an indictment of MMA or the Buj, I think that it just simply highlights the fact that not everybody is interested in the most popular thing and that not everybody wants to compete in the MMA scene.

 

[Obi Wan Shinobi]

I myself don't know of any Bujinkan practioner that does MMA. But if they do then its their choice and more power to them.

 

[stone_dragone]

Jennum actually replaced Frank Shamrock not Hoyce Gracie. Frank was injured in his match vs. Felix Mitchell. Nobody replaced Hoyce, he forfited his match to Harold Howard due to dehydration. Jennum beat Howard in the final, Jennum's only match.

Although not pertinent to the direction that this discussion has headed (and that's fine), I had to check some sources and verify for the record that it was, in fact Gracie, and not Shamrock that beat Kimo in UFC III and then had to withdraw.
http://www.weboshawa.com/sports/ufc/ufcmain.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_3
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?search=yes&EventID=9

Cheers!

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I myself don't know of any Bujinkan practioner that does MMA. But if they do then its their choice and more power to them.

There is a couple though I do not know if they are competing any longer. Sean Askew has some fights in Japan and there was another guy who also faught in Japan.

 

[Obi Wan Shinobi]

To me its all good as long as they don't forget about the differences between sport and self defense. I always say that if you enjoy doing something then keep doing it.

 

[Johnny-sama]

I wanted to do MMA at one point, even as a Bujinkan practitioner. I strongly believe that all martial arts have something good to offer, including MMA. Afterall, isn't it a "tenet" of Bujinkan to use the best weapon available to you? Why would I pass on MMA when it could potentially help me out of a sticky situation (especially when you're on the ground!)?

However, I still question Bujinkan practitioners who end up in the cage. Was it not taught to them to never fight a specialist with a weapon your enemy specializes in? Don't box with a boxer. Don't kick with a Taekwondo expert. Don't cage fight the MMA guys.

Rather, kick the boxer, MMA the TKD expert, and shoot the MMA guys.

 

[Obi Wan Shinobi]

Well MMA offers competition between two evenly match individuals to see who will win the match. There is alot of real aggression, resistance and ability in those fighters. As long as they don't forget that they're not in the ring in a street fight or mulitple opponent fight I'm sure they are just as capable to defend themselves...

 

[Chitmunk]

These days MMA has become a sport fighting style all it's own, if you havn't noticed most MMA participants don't have a particular style anymore. If you go an mma school you will be taught submissions, kickboxing, and basic bjj. But when it comes down to it no matter what style you practice, a strong base in your style with an understanding of your opponents style can make you a very capable opponent. I personally would like to see more "stylists" challenge the cage, but I doubt that it would really be allowed anymore because of the liability issues that would come up, especially from those who train in the more agressive disciplines. A Ninjutsu practitioner who has a strong understanding of MMA practices could very well make a fine showing in the UFC even as it is today.

 

[Obi Wan Shinobi]

These days MMA has become a sport fighting style all it's own, if you havn't noticed most MMA participants don't have a particular style anymore. If you go an mma school you will be taught submissions, kickboxing, and basic bjj. But when it comes down to it no matter what style you practice, a strong base in your style with an understanding of your opponents style can make you a very capable opponent. I personally would like to see more "stylists" challenge the cage, but I doubt that it would really be allowed anymore because of the liability issues that would come up, especially from those who train in the more agressive disciplines. A Ninjutsu practitioner who has a strong understanding of MMA practices could very well make a fine showing in the UFC even as it is today.

I agree but I always feel that MMA being created for the purpose of cage fighting has kept all the technical and physical aspects of the martial arts for the most part. But I like the spiritual and internal aspects of Martial training that I believe is left out in the MMA. It doesn't make you any less of a fighter but I don't train in the arts to simply fight...

 

[Chitmunk]

couldn't agree more. It is very true that through MMA training you can become an excellent fighter not to be taken lightly. But I also don't train for competition (not any more at least) I train for skill, knowledge, and wisdom which is one place I am sorry to say that MMA falls short. But then it is a sport designed around a set or rules for the sake of competition, not so much as the older styles focused on making your whole life that of a warrior so you needed to train the spiritual, and social side of the arts to really gain power in the lessons you learned. Don't make the mistake in thinking that I do not appreciate the lessons learned in MMA, the skill you can learn there is formidable and there is wisdom to be learned in competition, I just feel the focuses are different. And I will stand by my statement that anyone of anystyle could make a grand showing in MMA as long as they train diligently, have a strong understanding of the capabilities of their style, as well as at least a good basic knowledge in the abilities of the opponents they will face in the competitions they choose to partake in.